A feminist letter to Fusion Festival

Here’s an english transtalion of our statement to Fusion Festival. It’s a slighly corrected version of the one deepl.com did for us. Hopefully good to understand ;)


In response to the newsletter of the Kulturkosmos, we have written a statement. You can find it on our site as a PDF, share it, discuss it and get active. For a Fusion in 2019, where we will oppose sexism all the more!

Topless? Antisexist practice without a Kulturkosmos
What a beautiful vision: A festival where we can let ourselves go and move freely. Where we are not afraid of grabbers and the looks of others. A place where sexism is not tolerated. Holiday communism – no domination, violence and power, but free development and tenderness.
Dear Kulturkosmos, this vision is where we meet. Only on the way there do our perceptions and assessments seem to diverge greatly.
Before it comes to misunderstandings. Fusion is still a long way from this vision. People of Color and migrants* report racist comments, they are stared at and touched without being asked. To be touched unasked, comments about the body and other assaulted situations are also part of FLTI*s Fusion everyday life. On the Fusion there is sexualized harassment and violence as well as rape. Many other festivals have recognized this problem and created structures and spaces to strengthen those who are affected. For many years you – the Kulturkosmos – have resisted integrating antisexist practice at the Fusion and making it a matter of course.
For many years FLTI*s have been fighting for a comprehensive awareness structure supported by the association. In vain.
You talk about violence and coercion in the context of antisexist actions and not in the context of sexual harassment and rape. What goes wrong with you?
Instead of strengthening FLTIs*s and people affected by sexism and racism, you have de-solidarized yourself with your newsletter. You are worried about Konstantin and the poor men who had to put their shirts on again. You use classic anti-feminist polemics, talk about restrictive methods and „Wutbürger:innen“. You don’t just avoid the subject as usual. But actively prevents self-empowering practices. It’s nice that you want everyone to feel comfortable topless – but why start with those for whom this is already possible and normal? Instead of focusing on sexist practices and sexualized violence at Fusion, you use a male point of view where everything is ok as long as the Cis man feels topless at Fusion. Empowerment of the marginalized, not strengthening the norm, would make sense here.
Since Fusion resists the institutionalization of an antisexist practice, crew members and festival visitors* have sought their own ways to establish this practice and set limits. Signs with „no shirt no service“ or an intervention with a sexist DJ are just two examples. Antisexist practice is more than distributing urinellas and gendering the newsletter!
We as faq Infoladen have been working for about 10 years on the Fusion and support the garbage deposit. 24/7 we sit from Saturday at the pawnshops, experience unbelievable many guys, guys, who can finally let themselves go, we are sexist comments pressed, we get overpowering situations – and intervene, speak to affected people and catch them.
We have got used to not getting any support from the Kulturkosmos at this point. And yet – like numerous other crew members and visitors* – we do our part to make sure that FLTI*s can feel more comfortable and free on the Fusion. Your newsletter is a slap in the face for all crew members who put their heart and soul into a Fusion where everyone – not just white men – feels at home. Fusion lives from the fact that these crews carry their leftist and solidary practice onto Fusion and try to empower marginalized people by showing solidarity with their experiences. With your newsletter you are not only abandoning these structures. Above all, you ignore all those who experience violence and discrimination at the festival. We don’t accept that, we don’t let antisexist practice be forbidden even in „holiday communism“.

Our demands to the Kulturkosmos:
We demand that the Kulturkosmos strengthens antisexist structures at the Fusion instead of fighting them. Enables and supports a comprehensive awareness structure. And get involved with our letter and your anti-feminist and sexist perspective.
We urge all crews to enter into discussion with the Kulturkosmos. Write your own statements, network. We are approachable for you and want to talk about common positions and actions.
Together for an antisexist and solidary practice at the Fusion!Your faq Infoladen Berlin
kontakt@faq-infoladen.org
Berlin, April 2019